Taking Responsibility
Taking Responsibility
1. God holds us responsible for sins corporately.
Exodus 20:4-5
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
My father and my grandfather had to deal with anger issues and I did too!
My family dealt with substance abuse and I did too!
I would venture to say that nearly every weakness in moral character that was an issue for my ancestors has been an issue that I have needed to conquer in my own life.
2. God holds us responsible for the sins of our nation.
2Kings 22:11-13
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: 13 "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us."
Even though I have not been part and party of racial prejudice, I am responsible to do what I can for reconciliation with those who have had suffering in their past.
Even though I have not sat in judgment against those who were innocent of crimes charged against them and who suffered the shame of paying the penalty for a crime they did not commit, it does, in no way release me form the obligation to do what I can to correct the wrong and see that restitution is properly made.
3. God has given us a commission and a command to follow. He has been grieved by our inconsistency in carrying it out.
4. We need to take responsibility for the sins of our corporate heritage before God will bless us with success in fulfilling His “Great Commission.”
Matthew 28:18-20
18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
I have taken the first step in this process in writing a letter to the former congregations that I have served in. I have asked for their forgiveness for my lack of understanding and faithlessness.
What do you as an individual need to take responsibility for as to what happened in you heritage?
What do we as a congregation need to take responsibility for in the misguided ineffectiveness that has occurred over the years that this congregation has been meeting on this hilltop?
1. God holds us responsible for sins corporately.
Exodus 20:4-5
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
My father and my grandfather had to deal with anger issues and I did too!
My family dealt with substance abuse and I did too!
I would venture to say that nearly every weakness in moral character that was an issue for my ancestors has been an issue that I have needed to conquer in my own life.
2. God holds us responsible for the sins of our nation.
2Kings 22:11-13
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: 13 "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us."
Even though I have not been part and party of racial prejudice, I am responsible to do what I can for reconciliation with those who have had suffering in their past.
Even though I have not sat in judgment against those who were innocent of crimes charged against them and who suffered the shame of paying the penalty for a crime they did not commit, it does, in no way release me form the obligation to do what I can to correct the wrong and see that restitution is properly made.
3. God has given us a commission and a command to follow. He has been grieved by our inconsistency in carrying it out.
4. We need to take responsibility for the sins of our corporate heritage before God will bless us with success in fulfilling His “Great Commission.”
Matthew 28:18-20
18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
I have taken the first step in this process in writing a letter to the former congregations that I have served in. I have asked for their forgiveness for my lack of understanding and faithlessness.
What do you as an individual need to take responsibility for as to what happened in you heritage?
What do we as a congregation need to take responsibility for in the misguided ineffectiveness that has occurred over the years that this congregation has been meeting on this hilltop?
posted by Pastor Al at 9:18 AM
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